Records of the Week

OFFICIAL SITE OF MAYBESHEWILL

UK instrumental rock quartet Maybeshewill have long been known for politically-charged raucous compositions, with loudly pulsating percussion and a healthy dose of distorted crush – and more than a tinge of the ridiculous, what with song titles like “I’m in Awe, Amadeus!”, “How to Have Sex With a Ghost”, and “Ixnay on the Autoplay.” However, with their latest release “I Was Here For a Moment, Then I Was Gone”, Maybeshewill have utterly redefined themselves. Gone is the raw crunch of “Sing the Word Hope in Four-Part Harmony”, along with all samples and political spins – in exchange, we get a supremely-produced, honest & earnest record showing short-form instrumental rock at its most cinematic. Soaring interplay between lead guitar, keys, and occasional strings winds and twists above the intelligently thunderous rhythmic work of drummer James Collins, leading to an almost fist-pumpingly anthemic feel in tracks such as 2nd album single “Critical Distance.” “Take This to Heart,” the record’s first full track, immediately thrusts Maybeshewill‘s intent upon the listener, running the gamut through all the aforementioned elements – while reminding us they still know how to do quiet too – in a scorching 4 minutes. “Red Paper Lanterns” and “Accolades” exemplify the album’s grin-inducing side, while clear standout tracks “Farewell Sarajevo” and (the phenomenal) “Relative Minors” have Maybeshewill at their heaviest, while still maintaining melodic sensibility. “I Was Here For a Moment, Then I Was Gone” was crafted with the purpose of redefinition of sound, prompting a resounding “they did” – and not just maybe.